swE{,,;o0U|+/ :u7j@;pGh00gr\j30sAD+ ON 9 google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; A century of river flow records combined with an additional four to five centuries of tree-ring data show that the droughts over the past two decades were not unusual; longer and more severe droughts are a regular part of the climate variability in that part of the continent. Much of that water. We maintain a strict editorial firewall between our funders and our journalism. However, the Bureau of Reclamation's 24-month forecast that was just released at the end of last week projects Lake Mead to be at 1,041.10 feet in January 2023. google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; Few expected to ever see this drop in hydropower production, let alone consider what to do if Glen Canyon were to cease electricity production entirely. Surface Water Elevation (feet) Lake Powell End of Month Elevations1 . In March 2022, it fell below a critical level of 3,525 feet above sea levelthe lake's target elevation. The Bureau of Reclamation announced on May 3, 2022, two separate urgent drought response actions that will help prop up Lake Powell by nearly 1 million acre-feet (maf) of water over the next 12 months (May 2022 through April 2023). Click below for water level and accessibity updates about the launch ramps and services near you. a greater portion of the future hydrologic and climatic uncertainty becomes known and Hydrologists recently updated the model that forecasts the level of Lake Powell. It took decades for Lake Powell to reach catastrophically low levels, and according to one expert, it'll take a long time to restore the levels, too. Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Geological Survey for comment. However, these responses can have a noticeable impact on the river downstream of Glen Canyon Dam. This article contains new, firsthand information uncovered by its reporter(s). The lake is set to reach. The unregulated inflow during the 2000-2022 period has ranged from a low of 2.64 maf (28 percent of average) in water year 2002 to a high of 15.97 maf (166 percent of average) in water year 2011. Sunlight brightens plateaus and southeast-facing slopes, casting shadows on the northern and western faces of the rugged landscape. 04:12 - Source: CNN %PDF-1.7 % Late last fall WAPA, which operates the electric grid and distributes the power to utilities, raised rates 30% to cover reductions in power revenue. SW Water Vapor, Accessibility of Launch Ramps, Primitive Launches and Other Sites hVmO0+_'"Bi?H!R`Mkwj3#tq@x k8,Q\yDIU>H She also sits on the Upper Colorado River Commission. Together with the release of more water into Lake Powell from an upstream dam, the decision will keep the lake at a level at which it can continue generating hydropower for the next 12 months. Lake Powell Water Level including historical chart. Human actions created the Salton Sea, Californias largest lake heres Scientists studying water supply focus on weeks following peak snowpack. The bureau also announced it would release an additional 500,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge reservoir in Wyoming to further raise the water level at Powell. We are 41% through the Water Year. google_ad_height = 600; Lake Powell